ROD RECIPES 4/4/2007 Library Book Day Genoise Book Cake
Lending libraries have been part of culture down through the ages. But,
do you know the name of the longest book ever published? It's "The Yongle
Dadian." - a 10,000 volume encyclopedia written by 5,000 scholars over a period
of 5 years during the Ming Dynasty in China. Somehow, I don't think too many
people have checked that out!
Genoise Book Cake
Set oven at 350°. Grease and lightly flour 1 Book Cake pan.
In a large bowl combine 6 eggs and 1 cup of sugar. Stir for a minute, or
until they are just combined. Set bowl over saucepan containing 1 or 2 inches
of hot water. Water in pan should not touch bowl; nor should it ever be allowed
to boil. Place saucepan containing bowl over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or
until eggs are lukewarm. Heating the eggs helps them whip to greater volume.
It is not necessary to beat them continuously as they are warming. They
should, however, be lightly stirred 3 or 4 times to prevent them from cooking
at bottom of bowl.
When eggs feel lukewarm to your finger and look like a bright yellow
syrup, remove bowl from heat. Begin to beat, preferably with an electric mixer.
Beat at high speed for 10 to 15 minutes, scraping sides of bowl with a rubber
spatula when necessary, until syrup becomes light, fluffy, and cool. It will
almost triple in bulk and look much like whipped cream. It is the air beaten
into the eggs that gives genoise its lightness. Beating by hand with a good
rotary beater will take about 25 minutes.
Sprinkle 1 cup of sifted flour, a little at a time, on top of the whipped
eggs. Fold in gently, adding 1/2 cup slightly cooled, clarified butter and 1
teaspoon of vanilla flavoring. (Clarified butter is pure fat from which milk
solids and water have been removed. Place butter in a saucepan and melt over
low heat. Cook until foam disappears from top and there is a light brown
sediment on the bottom of pan - about 10 minutes. The liquid should be golden,
not brown. Pour off the clear butter and leave sediment in the sauce-pan.)
Folding can be done with electric mixer turned to lowest speed, or by hand. Be
especially careful not to over-mix.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes,
or until cake pulls away from sides of pan and is golden brown and springy when
touched lightly on top. Remove from pan immediately and cool on cake rack. A
frosting, packaged the Seven-Minute Frosting may be used. You can use roses and
"Cake-Mate," to write a name on the Book Cake.
Note: This recipe is from our favorite cookbook, The Art of Fine Baking
(published by Simon and Schuster) by Paula Peck, who has contributed recipes
to, and has had her pastries photographed for The New York Times and Life, and
has taught at the James Beard Cooking School. Her kitchen next door fills us
with joy at the whiff of the delicious aroma of freshly baked bread, and makes
us nostalgic for the magic days of childhood when mother or grandmother made
wonderful cake at home
GOD Bless, Marla
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